First Form of Eldoria
by autumndragonsong
Summary: Eldoria is an alternate world to the spiral. Hayley Dragia arrives at Ravenwood to find troublesome twins, secretive dorm mates and a mysterious door which leads to Wizard City. However Hayley must protect herself by not revealing that she is the Child Of The Dragons. With the new name Abigail Song, Hayley tries to survive 75 months without her safety. OCs welcome
1. Chapter One: Losses One and Two

Authour's note: Welcome to my first orginal fanfiction! Just a few points that need to be made. First Eldoria is an alternate world connected to the spiral through a spiral door which changes postion each night. Also there are ten months which consist of the ten subjects taught at Ravenwood. The magic taught is the magic of Wizard101. And finally Dragias, Centaurauses, Nymphidors and Sulveningtons can transform into their relative creatures. Hope you enjoy! Comments always taken on.

Chapter one

Losses one and two

Sunlight filtered through the gap between the curtains as the sun rose over the misty scene. Hayley yawned and opened her eyes. She squinted towards the open window where her desk was situated underneath. Hayley pulled the covers off of her and forced herself to get up. If it was sunrise already then it would be nearly breakfast time and she really didn't want to miss out on her grandma's new pancakes again.

Hayley rubbed her eyes and hurried around the bedroom, attempting to find some half-dirty clothes to take down to the river as it was washing day. The problem with having a family full of Pyromancers and Conjurers was that no one could perform a simple water spell. However she was hoping to be chosen that morning as it was an excellent chance to go through Eldoria Market and check out the clothes stall which was having a sale.

After tripping over her rug on the floor, stumbling over two books about magical creatures and destroying half of her jigsaw, Hayley raced down the stairs, her auburn hair flying behind her. At the bottom she inhaled the air expecting to find a delicious smell but found water vapour. Hayley spluttered and coughed while walking into the kitchen.

Hayley's uncle, Adrian, was holding a bucket dripping with water, gasping for breath. Water was splashed over the fireplace and the wooden table and chairs which had black patches dotted around the sides and were crumbling to the floor. Hayley stared around and noticed black batter mix stuck to the bricks in the fireplace. This was another problem with having no water magic.

"Why were you cooking grandma's pancakes?" she asked, surprised. Her uncle normally let his parents cook his meals and it was always a bad idea to let him go anywhere near the cauldron.

"Your grandparents, your mum and my brother have gone out for the day so it's just you and me," he replied, moping at his brow with his handkerchief. "And we can uh… do something together like play chess or backgammon. Or we could go into the village? I read in the newspaper this morning that there was a new market stall full of unique fruits opening today."

"That would be very nice Uncle Adrian, but it's washing day and, seeing as you're a Conjurer, these clothes don't wash themselves!"

Hayley grabbed two pieces of toast, which were a little burnt, from a stack on the table, picked up the wicker basket full of robes and pushed open the front door into the morning sunshine.

Hayley's house was surrounded by a forest full of trees, fruit bushes blooming with the most gorgeous fruit in Eldoria and woodland animals chattering hidden in their treetop and underground homes. Little specs of light were glittering through the canopy of leaves above Hayley's head. The house couldn't be seen from the outside unless you knew it was there as it was inside a massive oak tree with invisible windows.

Hayley walked down the woodland path chewing on her cold toast. It was a long way to the village but the time flew by as Hayley would always think about what she would do there. Although she normally did, today she was brooding on her uncle. Adrian did try to be a good uncle like asking whether she wanted to play chess or go to the monthly open-air play in the village, but he would always ignore her father.

Adrian and Stephen were brothers. Unfortunately for Adrian, Stephen was born two years before him which entitled him to his family's inheritance and the title of lord when his father, John, passed away. To make matters worse as Stephen was older he was qualified to be a full-age wizard before his brother. He was quicker to go and applicant for the job of myth professor at the only magic school in Eldoria, Ravenwood School of Magical Arts. He became a professor as he was from the family of Dragia a year before Adrian had a chance.

Adrian had hated Stephen ever since and couldn't stand him being in the house during the months of Fire and Ice, the holidays for Ravenwood. He usually moved out for a while and went to meet a few of his friends. Or that was what he said. Hayley reckoned that Adrian only had a couple of real friends after his brother revealed their family history. The family was so important and famous that they had their own house named after their homeland at Ravenwood although Hayley didn't know how.

Hayley was surprised to see that she was already at the village. The village was a traditional medieval one. The little cottages had thatched roofs, the roads were paved with cobblestones and people wore robes which had letters embroidered on them.

The village was surrounded by a wooden picket fence. A little along from Hayley was a kissing gate. She walked along to the gate and looked around to make sure no one was around. Once she had gone through with a boy a little younger than her on the other side. It wasn't a pleasant memory.

Once she was through she set off down one of the little winding roads. An apothecary was the first store in the street. Outside were stands upon which bats wings, wolfsbane and the juice of a snuffberry were standing on display. Pieces of paper were stuck to the tray with a price.

Next to it was a cottage which had been converted into a tiny shop. A sign on top of the window box said "The history of Eldoria all in one place". Hayley looked curiously at the sign. It was just the shop that she needed at that time. If her family wouldn't tell her about her own family history and how they had earned their own house named after them then she would to find it out by herself.

Carrying the basket of clothes with her half eaten piece of toast on top, she opened the cottage door. A bell tingled somewhere in an upstairs room. A table was set with little models of magical creatures and a till, which had a cobweb connecting it with the table. A map of Eldoria was framed on the wall. It was ancient and tearing around the sides of the yellowing parchment. Four magical creatures had been etched into the fabric in each of the corners. On the top left corner was a centaur, on the top right a dragon, the bottom left a nymph and the bottom right a creature which looked like a cross between a fox and a wolf.

The nymph was glowing dark blue. Three dots of the same colour were moving slowly in a lake, which was called Lake Nymphidor, at the centre of the island. It seemed as if the blue dots were nymphs swimming in the real life-size lake in Eldoria. The centaur was also glowing but this time it was as green as the forest's leaves. Two green dots were trotting through the western forest a little way off from Hayley's house. The creature which was a cross between a wolf and fox was as dull as the map's.

However, Hayley was more interested at the dragon which didn't look like it was glowing but shining. A blood red colour sparkled from the dragon with its jaw full of white teeth open in a roar of triumph and sorrow. Hayley held up her left hand. A ring glittered the same red colour as the dragon. Frowning, she looked down at the till. The light from the tapestry caught the glass on the top of the till. Hayley looked down at the reflection of herself and an ancient man standing right behind her.

Hayley swivelled around to find herself smooth nose to wrinkled nose with an elderly man unlike any she had ever set her eyes on. His staff was made of shiny oak encrusted with a rough scale splatted with slime and a fang was dangling from the end, tied on with a horse's tail hair. The hand that gripped the staff tightly was covered in skin as loose as a rubber glove. His face had more wrinkles than any wizard she had ever seen.

"You better be careful, dearie," the man chuckled toothily. "Don't want to riskyour pretty neck at the market today. Best to hide until the Crimson Moon sets. You'll be safe then!"

Hayley stared at the man startled. The Crimson Moon was that night? She had no idea. Every Crimson Moon the Dragias had a picnic under the stars watching the dragons fly across the island. Last year the family had had a tiny banquet outside of the oak tree.

But why was there danger? The dragons never hurt anyone. They only put on a display.

"Looking at you, I would get home and say your last goodbye to your family," the man chuckled. "Best not be late!"

Hayley backed away from the man, groping for the door handle. She found it and flung herself outside. Running, she made her way back to the tree. There was danger! The Dragias had to come home at once.

Slamming open the door of the tree, Hayley shouted, "Uncle Adrian, everyone needs to come home now!"

Silence was her response. Hayley ran around the house checking every nook and cranny. No one was there to hear her. No one was there to comfort her. No one was there to wipe away her tears… The last place to look was her parents' bedroom.

Hayley stepped slowly into the room. Scanning the area, Hayley saw just emptiness and shadow. She collapsed onto the bed and tears slid down her face. The bed covers smelt of her mother's perfume. Hayley began to sob. The news that the old man had given her had surprisingly set her on edge. But it made sense. Dragons could be dangerous creatures and the crimson moon enhanced their powers.

After several minutes, Hayley pushed herself off of the bed. She smoothed the bed covers and readjusted the pillows. A bump was still visible at the end of the bed. Irritated, Hayley walked around the bed and pulled the covers. The bump stayed. Hayley hit the bump and felt a finger click. There was something underneath there.

Hayley felt under the covers, finding a book. She examined the title. The Legend of the Dragias of Dragonspyre. Interested, Hayley flipped through the pages until a title caught her eye. _The Crimson Moon _was embroidered in gold thread. Hayley read through the chapter.

_The Crimson Moon appears once every year over the realm of Eldoria. At this time the dragons of the island arise and fly across the star filled sky. Their fire lights up the sky, creating fire stars and a display. The Moon's glow enhances the dragons' powers and allows them to wield the powers of the elements._

_The legend of the Crimson Moon states that for twenty eight years the Dragias rest in peace. However on the twenty ninth years, a Dragia is given to the dragons to keep the peace. This usually consists of the eldest female Dragia. When the sacrifice doesn't consist of the eldest female out of grace and will, seventy five months of trouble and stiff falls upon all around them._

Hayley looked up from the book and choked. If the extract was true, she would never see her grandma again. Panicking, Hayley dropped the book and ran to her room. She picked up the wand lying on her cabinet. Hayley's mother, Catherine, had said to use it only in an emergency. The only problem was Hayley had never used magic willingly before.

Suddenly the floor began to shake. Books fell off of their shelves and a vase of fire lilies smashed. The shaking stopped as quickly as it had come. Was the source of the shaking in the house? Hayley slammed open the door. The house lay before her, still empty. So who had caused the tree to shake? Or what?

The tree began to shake again. Wanting to stand on solid ground, Hayley ran towards the door. When Hayley slid her feet into the grass, she was ready to sigh with relief. However she was met by a larger shake. The earth below her was quaking. An earthquake. A magical battle was commencing!

Hayley looked towards the trees' canopy where the sun was in its later stages. She bit her lip, wondering what to do. She could stay at the tree and wait for her family to find her. Or she could try to find them. Hayley came to a decision and walked out into the world…

Two hours later, the sunset was bathing the stream a citrine orange. The oak trees were slowly fading away to ash trees. Rabbits hopped amongst the piles of mistwood and fireflies flitted around some cat tail.

Hayley walked alongside the river, her shadow causing fish to swim away. Her feet felt sore and sweat on her face glittered in the sunlight. After searching for her family, Hayley felt exhausted. She hadn't seen anyone and no one had seen her.

The earthquakes had stopped a few minutes before, but Hayley's head was still swimming. Why had the fight ended? Who had it been between? Was she near her family or even the fight?

Slumping against the tree, Hayley let out a sigh of relief. The Crimson Moon was about to rise and she still hadn't said goodbye to her grandma. She pictured her grandma in her head. Joy walked across the grass in front of her, smiling down at her granddaughter. Tears slid down Hayley's face.

"Oh grandma," she sobbed. "Where are you? I just want to say goodbye and hold you in my arms one last time."

Hayley wiped away her tears, catching sight of her ring. The red jewel was glowing. She stared at it transfixed. The glowing convinced Hayley that the legend of the Crimson Moon had to be true. The ring never glowed on its own.

Hayley looked up to see Joy still in front of her. She looked older than she remembered and a ring on her finger was glowing as well.

"Grandma, please tell me what this ring is or tell me you are safe."

Joy just stood there, smiling. Hayley let out a cry of exhaustion. She felt her lip begin to tremble and tears falling again. Joy still smiled. Even with the arrow piercing through her chest. Hayley gasped as the arrow landed just above her head. Joy vanished and revealed a dark shape.

Another arrow landed an inch from her right shoulder. Hayley slowly reached for her wand which was lying on the grass. An arrow pierced the wand. Sparks flew into the air as the magic seeped from it.

"Leave," came a voice from the trees. "Child of Dragons, leave the home of the centaurs!"

Hayley stared at the centaur in the trees. An arrow stuck out from the darkness pointing at her chest. Slowly, Hayley pushed herself up from the ground and started backing away. Hooves sounded from the right of the shadow. Another centaur was galloping fast towards the other.

"Kendrew!" shouted a girl's voice. "The Crimson Moon rises above our canopy. We must ride home to… Well, well. A Child of Dragons."

Hayley stared at the two shadows. The new one cocked its head in interest. Another arrow pointed out of the darkness. Gulping, Hayley started to walk away from them. The ground shock and Hayley fell to the ground.

"Liliana," said the boy's voice. "We must leave, the moon has risen."

"That's what I have been trying to tell you," moaned Liliana's voice.

The shadows galloped away deep into the ash trees. Hayley looked up to see the giant moon, crimson streaks moving across it. It was bigger than Hayley had remembered it and its light shone amongst the trees, fighting back the forest's shadows. She looked around to see rabbits running to their burrows and birds flew to their nests. Even the fireflies had vanished.

Hayley started to walk home too. There was no hope at finding her family. They were in a private place without her, saying goodbye. Perhaps they were back at the house and didn't find her. Hayley pushed the thought from her mind. She hated to think that she had missed them. Her family were together and sorrowfully saying…

"Hayley!"

Hayley looked around stunned. Her father, Stephen, was running towards her. His robes were ripped and half a wand was in his hand. A glistening card was in his other. The lines under his eyes and slash across his chest frightened Hayley. Stephen bent down in front of her.

"Your mother is no longer with us and I won't be soon. I need to find her! You must hold through the next seventy five months. If your life and all of the others are in danger, use these." Stephen handed over two cards, one shining gold and the other dull grey. "They are treasure cards. You can only use them once. Be wise, brave and don't make any foolish mistakes."

Hayley hugged her father, hard. She didn't want to let go. Stephen gasped and forced himself from Hayley's arms. While dabbing at the slash, he kissed his daughter's forehead. He slipped a stone into Hayley's hands. She looked down at it and it heated under her fingers. The forest melted away replaces it with blue swirls. Stephen flew away from Hayley as she was teleported away.

Hayley screamed for her father.

She opened her eyes to see her parent's bedroom ceiling. Did it just happen? Was her father gone? To save her mother? Looking around, Hayley noticed that the book was gone. However the treasure cards were still in her hands. One was of a dragon and the other of a ghostly man. They were both glowing blissfully.

Hayley let a few tears fall as she thought about her new life. She would now consider herself as an orphan. After all her parents were gone forever except from the memory parents. They would stay in her heart forever.


	2. Chapter Two: Weather Change

A/N: Welcome back to chapter two after a twenty day wait. OC's are now being accepted. The information needed is the name, gender, house, school, Eldoria or Wizard city and personality. Thank you to Eagle flame for being my first follower and favourite. Enjoy the chapter.

Chapter two

Weather change

Being an orphan for the first few months was worse than Hayley could have ever expected. All of the time, she was either locked in her bedroom or locked away in her house. Her remaining family wouldn't let her take one step out of the oak tree especially when they had visitors.

Unfortunately for Hayley there were lots of visitors. She was surprised that what looked like the whole of Eldoria knew where their secret home was. Young and old, rich and poor, lords and villagers all visited the oak tree. They brought gifts of clothes, exotic spices and one wizard came to inform the Dragias that a portrait of Stephen and Catherine had been placed in Ravenwood.

The visit that stood out from all of the rest was the one she was allowed to attend. At the end of the month of Myth, Hayley sat at the new table and ate half-heartedly through her pancakes. Uncle Adrian sat at the head of the table in Stephen's place. It broke Hayley's heart to think that he hadn't shred a single tear since his brother's death.

In fact this was a lie as Uncle Adrian had fallen down three flights of stairs. As a result he broke his leg and shouted at the top of his voice… Well, we don't really need to know. Anyway Hayley was extremely pleased about this because Uncle Adrian was feeling cooped up like her. Although he was cooped up he was allowed to see the visitors.

Hayley looked over at the foot high pile of parchment blocking half of Uncle Adrian out of sight. All that she could see was black hair identical to his brother's and his large rounded nose. The only thing different from Stephen was their eyes. Adrian's eyes were sky blue and illuminating the darkness hidden in his coal black pupils. Stephen's jade green eyes were two specs among his shadow-like hair.

"What are you writing?" Hayley asked the pile of parchment.

As always Uncle Adrian ignored his niece. Hayley's grandma walked towards Hayley. Unlike most elderly women Joy's grey hair was long and lay around her shoulders and down her back in a heap of tangles. It was usually tied up in a bun during the day though. Joy loved a neat household so it was very unlike her to walk around with tangled hair. She was also a natural cook and managed to get people to eat third helpings even if they were stuffed.

Joy sat down opposite Hayley with a plate of pancakes. Hayley looked at Joy's hair without a pinch of surprise. The disappearances had changed everyone. Joy pulled her wand out of one of her dressing gown's pockets. She tapped her hair three times. On the third tap the tangles started to slide out of her hair.

"What is Uncle Adrian writing?" questioned Hayley.

"Your uncle is applying to become myth professor at Ravenwood School of Magical Arts," she answered.

Hayley choked on her pancake. How could her uncle, the uncle that had hated her father and had not loved him with even a pinch of real love, proceed such a pure hearted wizard? Uncle Adrian would be a horrible professor. But the worst thing would be that Uncle Adrian would have almost complete control over her next year.

"But Uncle Adrian can't be the myth professor!" protested Hayley.

"And why not?" snapped Uncle Adrian.

"It would be extremely awkward with a member of my family to be my teacher."

"Well it isn't my fault that Catherine was an alchemy professor, is it? And I never heard you complain about Stephen being a myth professor."

"Well, shouldn't you let another family have a turn like the Nymthidor family or the Sulvington fa…"

"Don't you even think about mentioning that family in this house!" shouted Uncle Adrian, slamming his hand on the table.

"Stop it both of you," came a deep voice from the kitchen doorway.

Hayley and Uncle Adrian turned around to face John Dragia, Hayley's granddad and Uncle Adrian's father. John was overweight, a lord and always wore a cloak whatever the weather was. He loved anything to do with nature and used to go on expeditions in the North Mountains looking for rare and undiscovered plants.

John walked up to his wife with his nightcap flapping around his shoulders. He put his hands on Joy's shoulders. She wiped away a tear from her cheek and touched John's hand. John frowned towards his son and granddaughter.

"Why do you think it's necessary to shout at the top of your voices at eight in the morning and making your mother and grandma cry about Stephen and Catherine?" he asked in a stern tone.

"Because," explained Uncle Adrian, "Hayley thinks that it is unreasonable that I apply for myth professor at Ravenwood."

"And what name did you mention?" John asked Hayley.

"Sulving…"

"Enough!" Silence fell upon the room. John looked into Hayley's eyes. "We never mention that name," said John, more calmly. "Because we are enemies and have been since we met… on the battlefield."

The battlefield. Webs of thoughts flowed through Hayley's mind and a picture formed in front of her eyes. Blood splattered warriors staggered around the remains of what used to be a field full of green grass. The bodies of wizards, centaurs, nymphs, a large purple dragon and the other creatures from the tapestry swam in a pool of their own blood. They lay to rest, hopefully in peace after hours of agony.

Four young men in full amour stood in front of each other. In unison they took off their helmets and put them on the ground to sink into the mud. They nodded in each other's direction and walked away. Two went towards the forest, one towards the lake and the other went towards the mountains' caves. One of each of the creatures from the tapestry followed their leader to their new home, to mourn in peace.

The kitchen came back into Hayley's view. John had taken Joy's place while she busied herself with the kettle and Uncle Adrian was staring at the wall. They all seemed to be in deep thought.

"Were you there at the battle?" Hayley asked John.

"If I'm as old as your headmaster!" he laughed.

"My headmaster was around at the battle?" Hayley asked, in surprise.

"Your headmaster is said to have been around since the beginning of Eldoria. You see, the headmaster is immortal like the dragons, nymphs, centaurs and sulvens of this world. They can only be killed by an Archmage and above or each other. Legend has it that only wizards from the four warring families are able to become Archmages even though…"

A knock came from the front door. Hayley sighed and got up. She walked towards the stairs, getting ready to pretend that she didn't exist. The door started to open and Hayley ran up the stairs.

"You don't have to hide. Your visitor is a friend."

Hayley stopped one step away from the top. The voice wasn't female and it sounded old so that knocked out Joy and Uncle Adrian. And John's voice was deeper and less gravely. That remained the visitor and the mouse that Uncle Adrian had bewitched to amuse himself.

Hayley crouched down to look through the gap in the banisters. To her surprise she found herself face to face with Joy. Joy smiled and beckoned for Hayley to come into the living room. They both walked slowly down the stairs towards the living room area of the one room ground floor.

The living room consisted of two sofas, a huge armchair, a carved stone fireplace and hundreds of books lined the walls. The two sofas were occupied by John and Uncle Adrian (one each). Joy sat down next to her husband and pointed to the empty seat. There was no way that Hayley was going to sit next to Uncle Adrian unless she was tied and gagged. So she sat down on the floor with her back against the fireplace, pretending not to have noticed the seat.

"I think that you have met Mr William Pennyfeather," Uncle Adrian said, glaring at Hayley.

Hayley looked over at the old man in the armchair. She recognised him, but couldn't think where from. Her mind needed to stop buzzing from all of the new information she had taken in. The application, how loud her granddad could shout and the war with the Sulvingtons were only a few. Hayley shook her head. She needed to concentrate.

This man had lots of wrinkles and clear blue eyes. His clothes were ragged and old, but still beautifully clean. The walking stick resting against the armchair had an artistic foot in the shape of a fox's tail. So Pennyfeather was old, kind looking, a villager and a lover of the wildlife of Eldoria. And then it clicked.

"You're the man that knows history and owns the shop," Hayley exclaimed. "But how did Uncle…"

"By that it sounds like you're saying that I'm hundreds of years old!" Pennyfeather interrupted.

"Oh," Hayley said, blushing. "I'm sorry."

"But there is no need to be sorry when you are telling the truth. I'm one hundred and eleven years old this year. Also, could you please call me Pennyfeather?"

"William, I keep on telling you," John interrupted. "I don't like people calling you that!"

"Oh, liven up Johnnie!" Pennyfeather shouted.

This sentence had a huge effect on Hayley and John. Hayley let herself smile for the first time since her parents' departure at the thought of her granddad as a young boy. On the other hand John was completely different; he frowned in disapproval and crossed his arms across his chest as if trying to protect himself from further insults.

Joy had a huge smile across her face as she got up. Flicking through the books on the shelves, she came to a stop near the end of one of them. A large book with a picture of a goblet filled with hearts was pulled out. Joy flicked through the pages and stopped at one near the middle. Moving around the room, she showed the book to her family.

Uncle Adrian smirked and Pennyfeather gave a loud laugh. John stared shocked at the book. Then his face started to turn pink. Joy passed the book to Hayley. It was a portrait album. A younger Joy without a single grey hair sat at a table with a man sitting opposite her. Leaning in closer, Hayley examined the man closely. He almost looked like…

She let a small smile caress her lips as she looked at a younger John with an extensive afro.

Looking up, Hayley saw that John's face had changed from pink to red and the staff leaning against the wall had yellow sparks shooting from the crystal at the top. Pennyfeather got up and beckoned for Hayley to follow him. She hastily left the living room area, noticing that sparks were also starting to shoot out of Joy's wand as well.

Pennyfeather sat down at the kitchen table and pulled out a letter from his cloak. Pushing it across the table, Hayley noticed the name on the envelope, _Abigail Song_. She wondered why he was giving the letter to her.

"Who's Abigail Song?" Hayley asked.

"Abigail Song is standing right in front of me."

Hayley looked over her shoulder, but only saw her grandparents chasing each other upstairs and Uncle Adrian reading the newspaper. No one else was around. No girl that needed the letter. No girl who…

Slowly, Hayley looked down at the letter, looked up at Pennyfeather and picked up the letter. The envelope disintegrated at her touch. There were several pieces of paper inside, but the first one had a shiny heading saying _read this first_! Hayley sat down and started to read.

_Hayley Dragia,_

_As of the Crimson Moon in the month of Fire, Stephen and Catherine Dragia have been missing. In these cases when a child's parents are unavailable to help their child, a member of the school faculty comes to prepare the wizard for their years at Ravenwood. In the case of a child from the Warring families a faculty member also comes to help them for preparation. _

_However in the case of you, both of them apply. Professor William Pennyfeather was elected to come and help to protect you from the other Warring families. This includes changing your name and appearance as well as explaining equipment, robes and the sorting into the houses and schools of elemental magic. _

_On that note your protection shall begin with the changing of your name to Abigail Song. It's time for a weather change._

Hayley turned over the parchment expecting to find a signature, but there wasn't one. She put the letter back onto the table and in front of her eyes the letter disintegrated, leaving a list of equipment. Pennyfeather pulled a box from under the table. Placing it carefully on the table, he opened it and pulled out a spell deck, a white robe and ten books.

"These are given to each novice before they begin at Ravenwood," he said. "The spell deck is where you keep your cards in battle. These spell books contain information about your new subjects. The white robe is your uniform and will change colour when your house is decided. These houses are Dragonspyre, Khrysalis, Avalon and Celestia. Being a Child of the Dragons you will be expected to be in Dragonspyre. Any questions about your equipment so far?"

"No."

"Your school of magic is decided at the Phoenix break which will determine what your power pips will be used for. It also determines what your boosts and weaknesses are as well as the school of magic you shall take until you leave school. All of the schools are taken up to adept year. At magus year you take seven schools. At master year you take the same schools, but an astral school as well. At grandmaster year you take three schools. And at legendary year special students take on a near forbidden school of magic unknown to most. Any questions on any other topics?"

"Yes," Hayley said, immediately. "Abigail Song?"

"Ah, yes. That is quite a smart piece of work on my part if you ask me. Being the Child of Dragons, you are said to be part of the Dragon's Song sang every night by the dragons in the mountains; so that part was easy. Secondly Hayley can be said two ways: Hay-ly or Hail-y. I chose Hail-y and changed your name to Abi-gale. Weather change?"

Hayley just sat in her chair, her eyebrows raised. A lecture on weather and deviations of names wasn't Hayley's favourite thing to do.

"Moving on," Pennyfeather said quickly looking at her face, "you will need to change your appearance so that you won't be recognised. Your magical makeover will be a month from today. On that note, goodbye."

Hayley stared shocked as Pennyfeather left the kitchen. A makeover? She _hated_ make up. The professor obviously didn't know what he was getting into.


	3. Chapter Three: Spilt Ends

A/N: Two OC's have been accepted so far for Wizard City. OC's are still being excepted and there are still lots of places left. Thanks to my brother and his best friend for these OC's. Enjoy this chapter!

Chapter three

Spilt ends

Hayley looked at the girl staring at her in the mirror. Abigail Song stared blankly at Hayley. They moved simultaneously; first they touched their jagged hair, then their pale skin and finished by tracing the two fresh scars on their necks. During all of this their pair of emerald green eyes blinked at each other.

Hayley turned away from Abigail and looked at the white dress draped across her bed. It flapped in the soft breeze, beckoning her forward. She picked up the silky material and rubbed it against her skin. It didn't even scratch her scars. She thought back to what Pennyfeather had done earlier that year. The pain had been bearable, but only just.

_Pennyfeather stood behind a kitchen chair, wand in one hand and mirror in the other. Smiling heartily, he gestured towards the chair. Hayley sat down, hesitantly. The explanation on disguise and protection hadn't been a comforting one. For all that she knew Hayley could leave the oak tree as an elf and with an army of soldiers behind her._

_ "__Now Hayley," Pennyfeather said, gently. "Today we are going to merely change your hair, eyes, skin colour and give you a few distinctive marks."_

_He took three bottles out of a box next to him. Hayley stiffened as the old man rubbed a liquid into her hair. The liquid slipped down her hair to the ends which were at her waist. While her hair dried, Pennyfeather coated her eyebrows in the same liquid. He also wiped a few moles on Hayley's arms with the second liquid. The prickling skin told her that they were moving around her arms into new positions._

_The makeover went on like that for a while with a few spurts of pain until Pennyfeather pulled an athame out of the box. Hayley leaned away from the weapon, eyeing the sharp hilt. Her skin started to prickle, but not from a substance on her skin. _

_ "__There's nothing to worry about" Pennyfeather said, smoothly. "This is only to … trim your hair. If you're that worried, I can cast a shield around you."_

_Pennyfeather took a card from the inside pocket of his cloak and brandished his wand at Hayley. He drew a snowflake in the air and blue sparks of magic hovered where the wand had pointed. The card was pushed forward where it passed through the snowflakes. With a flourish of his wand, Pennyfeather disintegrated his card into a flurry of icy sparks. _

_A dome of semi-invisible matter appeared around Hayley. It eased the prickling on her skin as well as the fluttering of the butterflies in her stomach. Pennyfeather swiftly hacked through the back of Hayley's hair. She took a short intake of breath. A chunk of her was gone. Gradually the rest of her hair fell to the ground. A sea of hair met Hailey's eyes as her tear became a waterfall._

_ "__All complete," Pennyfeather remarked. "Now to see the finished product."_

_He held up a mirror in front of Hayley. She looked through the window to the other world where Abigail Song lived. Her hair wasn't long enough to sway in the draft from the window. They were just too short. Short stumps of red spilt ends. A shadow began to move behind Abigail. It brandished a long object in its hand. With a slash through the air, the item cut Abigail's neck._

_Hayley screamed and whipped around. Her hair didn't hit the man holding the blood stained athame. Uncle Adrian looked down at her._

_ "__Now it is all complete," he sneered. "Thank you for the blood."_

_A drop of blood fell onto a piece of hair and it was absorbed. Slowly it changed back to auburn. Hayley was underneath Abigail whatever happened._

Hayley slipped the white robe over her head. It fitted her figure to the finest detail and felt as light as a feather. She had never worn such a light robe and it looked more like a gown. At the New Year feast that night Hayley was also allowed to wear two personal items. One had to be the ring on her left hand. Catherine had always told her to keep the ring on and Hayley wasn't going to break her mother's final rule.

Hayley decided to wear a necklace or amulet that could hide her scars. Her dressing table was covered in rings, bracelets, necklaces and amulets however none of them increased the wearer's power. The thickest necklace was green with golden swirls across the leaf that dangled from the main part. Hooking it around her neck, Hayley looked out of the window to see a carriage. Her grandparents were inside waiting to leave for the start of the New Year ball.

Hayley ran down the stairs to the front door. It stood open with the back of the carriage in sight. Glad that she didn't have to walk to the village square, Hayley walked as straight as she could in her heeled shoes. The carriage was as modest as a carriage could be for a lord's family. Carved out of mahogany, the carriage glistened in the sunset. Rubies were encrusted into a model dragon on the roof and the wheels were plated with silver.

Hayley's trunk sat on the grass along with a book on top of it. Three other trunks were strapped to the back of the carriage. These couldn't be mistaken for Uncle Adrian's seeing as PROFESSOR A. DRAGIA was sprawled on each. Joy opened the door to the carriage and beckoned for her granddaughter to come closer.

"As one of your protection rules, we aren't allowed to escort you anyway in public," Joy said.

Hayley's face fell. She was going to have to drag a heavy trunk across half of the island? But then she caught sight of the blue stone in her grandma's hand which made her groan.

"This is a teleport stone which will take you two streets away from the village square. There you will find carriages that will take you to Ravenwood. Good luck with the ceremony, dear."

Hayley took the stone and slipped the trunk's handle around her wrist. She picked up the book 'A Novice's Guide to Staying Sane' and slipped it under her arm. Holding her breath, she clutched the stone. However nothing happened.

"You have to clutch the stone in both hands for four seconds," came John's voice from behind Joy. "See you in red!"

Hayley grimaced back and clutched the stone in both of her hands. Swirling through the dissolving world, Hayley let out a sigh of relief. She would no longer have to pretend to be glad about being in Dragonspyre. The other houses seemed like a nice change from home. As far as she knew Avalon was the house of wisdom, Celestia was the house of kindness, Khrysalis was the house for the diverse and Dragonspyre was the house of courage. However the pressure she would receive to be 'recalled' from her grandparents could be embarrassing.

Recallment had only happened a few times in the history of the school. When a wizard was immensely unhappy with their house they were given the option of taking the admittance test again. However this meant being taken back to first year. Hayley decided it would be best if she put up with the house that she was given.

Terraced houses came into view as Hayley's feet touched solid ground. Curtains covered the windows and hardly any light shone from them. Most people were at Ravenwood for the New Year celebrations. Dragging her trunk behind her, Hayley made her way through the streets. As she neared the square people began to pass her. While side-stepping a carriage, the book fell open onto the floor. About to pick it up, Hayley noticed the title. _Introduction to the School Houses _blazed from the page.

Hayley tucked the book into a front pocket of her trunk and entered the square. Carriages lined the cobbled square. The usual market stalls had gone except for a few lining the selling tickets for a carriage. Families climbed into a few of them while horses flexed their legs impatiently. After hiring a carriage and strapping her trunk to the back, Hayley stepped into it with her book in hand. She opened the book on the folded page and began to read:

_The houses of Ravenwood School of Magical Arts are dedicated to the four warring families Centauraus, Dragia, Nymphidor and Sulvenington. Avalon is dedicated to Centauraus, Celestia is dedicated to Nymphidor, Dragonspyre is dedicated to Dragia and Khrysalis is dedicated to Sulvenington. These houses are diverse by characteristics and beliefs. These are based on the magical creatures of each family._

_Avalon's creature is the centaur. Centaurs are the most intelligent of the four creatures. They live in herds, protecting one another whilst keeping their home organised. Many meres and foals have more influence than stallions. This shows that they value the brain over the body. Their aim is equality._

_Celestia's creature is the nymph. Nymphs are the most peaceful of the four creatures. They live in schools, helping each other and hardly ever accepting their achievements from being humble. These water spirts are always the last to join a war and calm tension easily. Their aim is harmony. _

_Dragonsprye's creature is the dragon. Dragons are the fiercest of the four creatures. They live in flocks, fearlessly protecting their land and outsmarting each other. The males are tougher than the females however the females are smarter. This creates a constant struggle for power. Their aim is power._

_Khrysalis' creature is the sulven. Sulvens are the most varied of the four creatures. They live in packs, not known well to others and turbulently improve their pack's land. These fire wolves work together in different roles to expand their pack. Their aim is individuality. _

_A member of the warring families was traditionally head of each house until a child from each family was killed in a fight to bring the mutationis secret of each family to their own. After this battle the children have been protected diligently by the staff at Ravenwood. An old story says that a Child of Creatures was placed in different house and was repeatedly recalled until the child finally got accepted into their house after twenty years. This was the act that sparked the fight._

Hayley put down the book in shock. She was sure that she was going into Dragonspyre no matter what now. There was no way that she would break the record for the most times to be recalled and start a war. But what if she didn't get into Dragonspyre?

Flicking through the pages, Hayley found a section marked _Events of the School Year_. The page was empty except for the months of the year: Carpentry, Storm, Life, Alchemy, Fire, Balance, Myth, Death, Duelling and Ice. The Phoenix and Wyvern breaks were marked on along with the New Year feast.

Hayley continued to read through the book until a sudden jolt made her fall from her seat. She noticed the carriage had stopped. Stepping out of her carriage, Hayley gasped as she saw the huge castle in front of her. Set into the mountains the castle had vines climbing around the towers and purple tiles adorned the roof. A set of wide oak doors were open onto a corridor full of people.

She slipped the book into her trunk and began unstrapping it. A tap on her shoulder made her jump. Turning, she found a kind bearded man offering to take her trunk. After accepting Hayley made her way through the flowing crowd. To her dismay everyone around her was with someone and not a single one was in a white robe. It was going to be a long night!

Hayley walked slowly into the great hall, staring in awe at the intricate decoration around the room. Chandeliers hung from the engraved ceiling, glittering in the light from the light blue embossments on the walls. They seemed to be made of ice. A beautiful pattern adorned the walls in ten different colours. However only the light blue squares were embossments and had snowflakes shining from them.

Snow fell from the ceiling and settled on the floor. Watching it closely, Hayley saw the snow slowly fading away. The floor was undisguisable under the snow and not a single footprint imprinted the ground making the ground smooth and level.

Hayley started around the hall, searching for another in a white robe. Tables laden with platters of food and fountains of drinks lined the hall. People surrounded them chatting in groups. People wearing the same style of robe that Hayley was were scattered across the hall. However their robes were red, yellow, green and blue like the adults'. She guessed that they were students.

Whilst squeezing past a large group of students that seemed more like adults, Hayley caught sight of a boy wearing a white robe. He was also squeezing through the crowd.

"Hey," shouted Hayley. "The boy in the white robe."

The boy turned around to look at Hayley. Smiling, he walked over. His chestnut hair blew in an invisible breeze as he came over to her. To her surprise another boy came from her right. The boy had dirty blonde air and was dwarfed by the other as was Hayley. They both arrived at the same time.

"Yes?" they said in unison.

"I take it that you haven't seen anyone else yet?" said the boy with blonde hair.

"Obviously if she called you!" said the boy with chestnut hair. "I'm Jack by the way. Jack Blading."

"I'm Marcus Walters and people found me quite nice when pushing through the crowd, thanks. Also most people call me Mark. So, what's your name?"

"I'm Abigail Song," replied Hayley. "Have you met any others yet?"

"Yep," said Jack. "My old friend Jimmy Jenkins is in the crowd. I wouldn't miss out on him if I were you!"

"No thank you," Hayley gagged. "I prefer to know someone for at least a year before even considering going on a date with them!"

"On another note what house do you think you'll be in?" Mark said, interrupting the two's conversation.

"I know that I'll be in Dragonspyre!" Jack said, immediately. "Fierce and fearless is my character to the littlest detail. I'm not the smartest, but I am the one who never gives up!"

"I take it that you also aren't afraid to show who you are in front of people that you have just met?" asked Mark.

"However do you guess that?" asked Jack in mock surprise. "What about you Abi?"

"My name is Abigail!" Hayley said in a sudden angry tone. "And I just know that I'll be in Dragonspyre." She sniffed, thinking about being forced into Dragonspyre for being the Child of the Dragons.

"Are you sure about that?" Jack laughed. "Yes, you're fierce but you are very turbulent and you probably believe in individuality. Khrysalis for you, my dear."

"No I won't! And I think that I'd prefer to talk to Mark, thank you Jack."

She grabbed Mark's hand and they ran through the crowd away from Jack. They chatted for the rest of the evening about Mark's family and Hayley's 'dad' in the mountains hunting for ingredients. Mark thought that he would be in Celestia and Hayley had to agree. He was kind and quite humble as well as kind of sweet. They were next to a table filled with canapés when a voice echoed through the hall.

"The moon climbs almost to the summit. May each novice come to the dance floor?

"Shall we go together" Mark asked.

"Why not?"

They zig-zagged through the crowd towards the front of the hall. The crowd became denser as they got closer to the front of the hall. Eventually Mark had to start shouting to tell people that they existed and were behind them. Glimpses of white came into view through the spectrum of red, yellow, green and blue. He two finally reached the dance floor.

The dance floor was surrounded by smooth pebbles. Only people in white robes stood amongst the pebbles. Mark and Hayley walked into the square of pebbles. Two out of the twenty eight stones suddenly glowed and dulled after five seconds. The other novices stood nervously exchanging looks with each other or staring up at the high table. Eleven adults in robes of beautiful materials and billowing cloaks sat behind the table. Each was dressed in the colour of their school and had an element of it embroidered into their outfit.

Fire surrounded a professor who sat next to another with icicles on her sleeves. Lightning bolts came from a woman's gloves, leaves covered a girl's cloak and two swords were slung on a man's back. Scales were emblazed on a man's bow tie and cufflinks, strange instruments covered the inside of another's cloak and purple bubbles came from Pennyfeather's robe.

Three professors stuck out amongst the rest. A ghost-like woman sat sullen faced at the end of the table. She stared at her plate as if deep in thought. Even as a strand of her ashen hair fell across her face she didn't blink. Hayley looked intently at the professor. The distance between them was only one hundred feet, but it looked as if she was in another world. Suddenly the professor's eyes changed from black to green and highlights of green appeared in her ashen hair. Hayley blinked and they were gone…

Hayley's eyes travelled down the table to where Uncle Adrian sat. He was staring menacingly at the puppy eyed students. It seemed as if he had made himself at home. They came eye to eye with each other. Hayley stared determinedly at his robes. Eyes blinked at her from around the hem of Uncle Adrian's robe. Frowning, Hayley looked towards the last professor.

In a silver throne sat the headmaster. Except that it wasn't the headmaster. It was the headmistress. She wore a gossamer silver robe and a cape that seemed to be made of silken spider webs. Her hair coincided with her gown and a perfect circle was creased into her hair. Not a single wrinkle caressed her face, but she seemed to be the oldest in the hall. It was as if age didn't weary her or the years condemn her.

The headmistress stood up and a wave of silence washed over the hall. Twenty eight novices stood inside the square of stones and each of them twiddled of their robes, waiting for their house to be decided.

"Welcome students, graduates and teachers to the New Year celebrations," the headmistress projected across the great hall. "As the headmistress, it is my job to introduce these novices to Ravenwood and help them to understand the house that they will be in. When the moon reaches its peak in the sky, the novices' robes will change colour indicating their houses.

"Avalon is where the intelligent go; Celestia is where the kind-hearted belong; Dragonspyre is where the fierce fight for their place and Khrysalis is the home of the mysterious. Red for Dragonspyre, yellow for Khrysalis, green for Avalon and blue for Celestia. May the moonlight decide your fate!"

Hayley closed her eyes as cheers came from the crowd. She concentrated hard on blocking out the sounds from outside the pebbles. Suddenly all that she could hear was a rustling of robes and murmurs raced around her in a whirlpool. Her breathing started to become shallow and fast. Soon, to her shock, Hayley felt her robes become heavier from hem. They felt as if they were dragging her into the whirlpool. As suddenly as the robes became heavier they became light. Apprehensively, Hayley lifted her right sleeve up to her face and opened her eyes.

She shrieked softly as the yellow shattered her family's dreams…


	4. Chapter Four: Wear the Robe

AN: Welcome back to chapter four. Over Christmas I have recieved lots of surport that I am grateful for. I have been given a new OC. If you want your OC to be a main character you need to submit it by halfway through January. I'm choosing my GSCEs soon so updates may be slow including private messages. Enjoy!

Chapter four

Wear the robe

The yellow penetrated Hayley's eyes as gasps of joy, surprise and relief spread around the pebbled floor. A little whimper came from her right and an interested exclamation came from her left. Quickly Hayley covered her mouth to stifle the noises still coming from it. She was in Khrysalis; the first ever Child of Dragons to be in Khrysalis. Not knowing how to feel she looked up at the high table to find her uncle staring down at her in… contentment? Knowing? Or jealousy? Why would he want to be an outcast? She could almost hear his thoughts: "The one that got away!"

Hayley shivered and looked behind her to see Mark in blue. He was smiling and lightly tracing the creases of his robes. His wish had come true. He looked up at Hayley and she saw the smile slide off of his face. Behind him Joy and John stared their granddaughter in yellow. She was the sun amongst the clouds which were starting to turn grey and block her from view. Her first wish had come true, the one she didn't want to.

Tears started forming in Hayley's eyes. Hastily, she brought her left arm up to wipe them away. She was met by not a glare of yellow as she expected, but a beacon of crimson. Hayley put her arm down, shocked. Slowly she looked down at her robe. Both yellow and red shone at her. Was she in Khrysalis and Dragonspyre?

Looking around, Hayley saw most people in one colour robes. However two others were in two colour robes. An oriental boy had a green and red robe and a pale girl had blue and yellow robes. The boy was admiring his, but the girl had her mouth slightly open in a silent scream.

"Well," began the headmistress. "This doesn't happen regularly."

"You don't say," laughed the boy.

"When a person is equally spilt between two houses their robe changes into two colours," explained the headmistress. "On these occasions we let the student decide which of the two houses they shall go in. Young man, Avalon or Dragonspyre?"

The boy looked into the crowd towards someone. He nodded and then looked towards another student in green. She tapped her wrist impatiently, indicating for him to hurry up. As she rolled her eyes, the boy laughed.

"I know that this is an important decision, but could you please hurry up and stop laughing around!" said the headmistress, exasperated.

"Ok, ok," said the boy. "I choose Avalon."

As soon as the words left his mouth the green started to corrupt the red. The greenery covered the entire robe equalling out the creases left by the crimson. He smiled over at the girl who smiled back. At least they were happy and his wish had come true.

"The girl with brown hair," announced the headmistress, "can you please choose between Khrysalis and Celestia?"

The girl seemed panicked. Her eyes flicked between a tanned girl in blue and a boy with dirty blonde hair in yellow. Little beads of sweat glittered in the light from the embossments on the walls. Her beautifully long hair whipped around her face as she looked between the two novices. The tanned girl sighed and sadly nodded her head.

"I choose Khrysalis," said the girl meekly.

She let out a deep breath and looked down at her robe. The yellow was covering the blue. Her yellow was duller than the others though. She was individual and her wish had come true even though it looked hard.

"Finally, the girl with red hair," said the headmistress. "Do you choose Dragonspyre or Khrysalis?"

Hayley breathed in and out three times to calm her nerves. Her skin was prickling with anticipation. The stares of the crowd could be felt on her back. If she chose Khrysalis there was a very good chance of recallment. But if she chose Dragonspyre she would yet again be a victim of the 'Dragia curse'.

Hayley looked behind her to see her grandparents touching their robes violently. They were wide eyed and not being discreet at all. Hayley turned to the high table to find Pennyfeather tapping his golden goblet of red wine. This confused Hayley even more. Then she saw her uncle. He was sneering slightly and eyeing her with relish. Smiling, he tapped his yellow Myth robe. This made Hayley's decision clear.

"I choose Dragonspyre," she shouted, angrily.

The red spilt across Hayley's robe like blood. It corrupted the yellow, leaving little flashes of red. Hayley looked up at Uncle Adrian and she began to stroke her robe. She wasn't going to be told what to do by _that_ man!

"We shall now welcome two new teachers," announced the headmistress. "First we welcome our new professor of Alchemy, who spent many years teaching here before, Professor Pennyfeather."

Pennyfeather stood up and bowed his head towards the crowd. The hall started to clap, so Hayley joined in too.

"We shall also welcome our new Myth professor, Professor Dragia."

Uncle Adrian stood up proudly and surveyed the Novices in front of him. Some shuddered at his stare while Jack could be seen smiling fanatically back. Hayley smiled slightly until she caught sight of the headmistress looking at her. As soon as Hayley looked in her direction, she looked away.

"We also have a new Head of Dragonspyre," the headmistress continued, "Duelmaster Ambrose."

The rough looking professor stood up, banging the Life professor with his sword. He received a louder round of applause than Uncle Adrian did. The Myth professor frowned slightly and whispered something to the ghost-like woman next to him. Although he laughed slightly, the Death professor's mouth didn't twitch at all.

"And now," said the headmistress. "The Novices are allowed to say goodbye to family and hello to new friends. You are dismissed!"

Having no one to go to, Hayley looked around to find someone to talk to. However Mark had walked over to an Adept in blue robes and everyone else was with family or chatting to others. This left Hayley alone in the hall. She left the great hall to find a group of Initiates heading upstairs. She followed them at a distance without taking in the grand patterns on the ceiling or portraits on the wall.

Eventually Hayley realised that the group had gone. She was left alone to wander the castle and attempt to find her new dormitory. A window stood at the end of the hall. Hayley looked out of it to find herself looking down at a courtyard. The floor was paved and flattened except for a section in the middle. Bumps around a circular bench in the centre rooted a tree into its place. Its branches stretched across the courtyard's sky, protecting it from the few raindrops that had started to fall.

Hayley turned away from the window. She still needed to find her dormitory so that she could get at least a few hours' sleep before her lessons tomorrow. Most of the corridors on this floor had symbols on the doors. Alchemy symbols, a spilling potion, stuck out of them. A weak tangy smell was in the air. Hayley guessed that potions hadn't been brewed here since last year.

Labels were below the symbols. Most were store cupboards, but a few were classrooms. A door with a silver handle was in the middle of the corridor. It was the office for the Alchemy professor. The label was whiter than the others and wasn't peeling at the sides. It read _Professor W. Pennyfeather_, but it used to read _Professor C. Dragia_. Hayley gulped back a strange taste in her throat. Shaking her head, she tried to keep her mind in the present. Her mum wasn't here anymore and she had to keep on going... And get some sleep.

Yawning slightly, she eventually found a plaque directing her to the Novices' rooms. The corridor was eerily quiet. Only Hayley's footsteps echoed around her. Her feet were the first to dent the rug running down the wooden floor. Doors on either side of her held signs. Walking towards the nearest door, Hayley noticed that four people were sleeping in each dormitory. The sign read:

Novice Boys' Dormitory

Jack Blading – Dragonspyre – None

Kenneth Hu – Avalon – None

Leonardo Phelan – Khrysalis – None

Marcus Walters – Celestia – None

Jack and Mark were in the same room? At least Hayley had an alarm clock for the next few months. Two pairs of shoes could be heard clomping their way down the corridor. Hayley turned just in time to see a girl hit her as she passed.

"Sorry," the girl murmured.

Hayley looked at the girl's back retreating with another. The tanned girl's plait had pieces of frizzy hair sticking out of it and they were flowing across her sky blue robe. Her meek little body was average sized compared to her friend. The girl next to her was by far the tallest novice there was at Ravenwood. Her robes were a dull yellow and fitted her frame as well as the friend. Her chestnut hair reached halfway down her back, to Hayley's spite.

It happened so fast that Hayley thought that she imagined it. The dull yellow robes flapped on the edge of the rug and forced the rest of the robe ruffle. Hayley looked closer at the brunette, trying to remember where she had seen her before. Suddenly streaks of blue swirled around the garment, crisscrossing with each other. When she blinked they vanished. Hayley thought to herself and realised that the girl was the Khrysalis and Celestia girl.

The girls stopped in front of the door next to Mark's. They read the sign and stepped inside the room without a backwards glance. Hayley walked over to the door to read the sign. It said:

Novice Girls' Dormitory

Natasha Golding – Khrysalis – None

Leanne Hu – Avalon – None

Abigail Song – Dragonspyre – None

Ella Wilde – Celestia – None

So Hayley was in the same room as these girls. She was about to turn the handle when running footsteps could be heard behind her. Two novices, that could have been identical if it wasn't for their gender, were running towards her in a flurry of green. They stopped outside Mark's door gasping for air.

"Well," gasped the oriental girl. "I'll see… you later… Kenneth."

"For the last time, it's Kenny," shouted the boy.

The girl laughed as the boy grudgingly read the sign. Hayley gaped at him. His sleek black hair was pushed back in a mono hawk style that had gone a little wrong. He'd already rolled up his sleeves and scuffed his shoes. Surprisingly, his robe didn't have a single crease on it. Suddenly streaks of red scarred the robe, criss-crossing around the shelves. Hayley blinked and they were gone.

"Hello," said the oriental girl. "Anyone in there?"

"What?" said Hayley. "Sorry, I just thought something happened with his robe."

"It might've," replied the girl. "He was the two-houses-robe boy. Or something like that."

"Right, but it doesn't explain why his robe changed colour."

"Kenneth's robe changed colour? That's odd. I'm Leanne by the way."

"Abigail," said Hayley. "You two looked like good friends."

"Good friends!" laughed Leanne. "Nowhere near! We are extremely competitive twins."

"I don't have any brothers or sisters."

"Unlucky. With a brother you know lots about each other and know their secrets. I found out earlier that you had a running with two boys. Want to tell me how it went?"

"It was merely an argument and friendship," Hayley said feeling her cheeks heat up.

"And there was me thinking it was a love-at-first-sight moment for both boys."

"Well, let's meet our dorm mates," Hayley spat out.

She turned the door handle, bracing herself for a handful of comments and questions before she reached her bed. The dormitory was surprisingly plain. Four beds stood at the sides of the room, each with a black and white patchwork duvet spread across it. A trunk at was at the foot of each bed and four small desks faced the window which acted as a wall.

The two girls, Ella and Natasha, sat on two of the beds. Each had a parcel on their laps. When they looked up, both had a surprised oh their face.

"Yes I know," Hayley began, "the robe probably changes colour."

"No it's not that," said the girl in the blue robe. "You're the girl that was arguing with Jack earlier. And what do you mean by your robe changes colour?"

"Oh great, you already know about that and I've known you for ten seconds. Hang on my robe didn't change colour?"

"On a different note," cut in Leanne, "who's who? I'm Leanne Hu!"

"Ella Wilde," said the girl in blue.

"Natasha Golding," said the girl in yellow.

"Abigail Song," said Hayley.

"What are in those parcels?" asked Leanne.

"Don't know yet," said Natasha. "Yours are on your beds."

Leanne dived for the bed nearest to the window and Hayley was left with the bed nearest the door. It looked as if she had two alarm clocks: the door and Jack. Sticking out from under the pillow was a parcel identical to Ella's and Natasha's. The brown paper and frayed string hung loosely around one corner of the parcel. Hayley pressed her finger against the string, feeling the dampness that matched the smell of wood.

Suddenly the string vanished and the paper unfolded. A stick rolled onto the duvet as squeals of delight came from around the room. Hayley examined the wand on her bed. It, like the room, was plain. Only a small speck of red was visible at the base of the wand.

A box sat amongst the brown paper. The spell deck had a spiral engraved onto the lid and the scent of fresh wood surrounded it. On the bottom was the words _Abigail Song's Duelling Deck_. Hayley now had a deck for duelling and everyday practising. When she shook it, a clunking could be heard inside. She opened the lid to find two perfectly round teleport stones.

Two pieces of paper sat on top of the brown paper. One explained that the stones teleported the user to their dorm room and the entrance hall, the curfew for Novices was 8:30pm and Duelling lessons started after the Phoenix break. Hayley was relived to find out that Duelling wasn't starting until half a year later. She didn't want to make any enemies too early on.

Ella and Natasha had set aside their new equipment already. They were unpacking their trunks. Leanne was waving her wand around violently. Suddenly it slipped out of her hand. Hayley lunged forward just in time to catch it.

"Thanks," said Leanne. "Good catch."

"I've had practise," said Hayley, remembering her dad throwing stuff out of his bedroom window when she was younger.

His way of packing for the new year had been seeing what Hayley could catch. By the time that she was nine her father packed nearly everything he threw. The only thing she could never catch was him when he jumped out. He would always joke that he couldn't go that year, but he always left her in the end. Hayley blinked rapidly, attempting to block her tears. Memories were the only thing that she had of him now.

Hayley yawned. She really needed to go to bed. It was one of the latest times that she had stayed up. She ignored the trunk sitting at the end of her bed. Instead she collapsed into her bed, fully dressed. After about ten seconds she was fast asleep.


	5. Chapter Five: Door of Oddness

A/N: Chapter Five is here! We are finally getting to Wizard City... in the last sentence. I'm sorry! It takes a long time to build up characters and plots. OCs are being added into the next chapter.

Chapter five

Door of oddness

Hayley awoke to find the sun already shining through the window, lighting up the world outside. A stream trailed down the mountain, cutting through lilies which were broadening their petals to receive the sun's rays. Trees surrounded the grounds. The school didn't need a wall to keep the students in. The forest was said to be home to the Sulvens. Most wizards didn't know what they were like except that they were extremely strong and could rip your life away in one pounce.

Yawning, Hayley sat up. Ella and Natasha were already out of bed getting dressed and packing their bags. However Leanne was still in bed. If Hayley thought that Leanne was awake she was corrected when a massive snore like a troll came from her bed. Hayley forced herself to push the covers off of her and stand up.

After pulling a new robe over her head, Hayley went over to Leanne. She started by whispering Leanne's name. Then she began to nudge her gently. By this time Ella had joined in. They both shock Leanne violently, but she still stayed asleep. Eventually all of the girls were trying to wake up their dorm mate with Natasha pulling the covers off of Leanne's bed.

They were about to give up when an explosion in the form of Jack, Kenneth, Leo and Mark started next door. Leanne bolted upright, knocking Natasha in the process. She seemed to be wide awake.

"Kenneth," she roared.

She jumped out of bed and ran for the door. A moment later a higher pitched explosion joined the fray. Hayley winced now and again as the noise continued. She busied herself by brushing her hair and packing her bag. Her timetable for the day read Fire, Ice, Carpentry, Balance, Death and Myth. It didn't look like a good day. There were opposite schools in a row and her uncle teaching her last thing.

On the way to the great hall for breakfast, Hayley knocked on the boys' door. The noise inside faltered slightly. Mark opened the door. His hair was ruffled up and he had a satchel hung around his shoulders.

"You here to take Leanne away?" he asked, croakily.

"Only to get directions," Hayley replied. "I'm pretty hungry."

"Alright I'm here," Leanne said, pushing past Mark. "Let me just put my robe on."

After Leanne put her robe on she directed everyone to the great hall. The smell of bacon and eggs became stronger the closer that they got. Hayley's stomach began to growl. She hadn't eaten a lot last night. The doors to the great hall were wide open. The group walked into the hall, following the smell.

Hayley's mouth fell open. The snow on the floor had vanished. The ice chandeliers had evaporated. The blue embossments had been pushed back into the wall. In their place maroon embossments shone from the wall, lighting up the wooden hall. Everything was made of wood; the floor was pine, the tables were mistwood and even the chandeliers were made of ebony.

Novices were also gaping at the transformed hall. A few had to knock on the walls to check that it was real. How had the hall changed from the month of Ice to Carpentry so quickly? A group of Maguses walked straight into the great hall without reacting at all to the wood chippings sticking to their shoes.

"The hall changes at the first sunrise of each month."

Everyone turned to look at Leanne.

"Well, doesn't everyone know that?" she asked matter-of-factly.

Everyone raised their eyebrows.

"Maybe not then…"

Hayley followed Leanne to an empty table in the middle of the hall. On the table were plates laden with toast, pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausages, pastries, fruit and stinking kippers. Hayley took the seat furthest from the kippers. As time passed other Novices joined the table. The girls were chatting about family and life before Ravenwood. The boys were talking about sport. Even though she had hardly any sports knowledge, Hayley joined the boys' conversation.

"My older brother says that Novices can't join the sports teams," said Mark. "You have to wait until you're an Apprentice."

"Such a shame," said a boy with a cheeky cockney accent who had to be Jimmy. "Jack and I can take part without magic. We can run like the wind."

"Especially when you're stunned by _magic_," laughed Kenneth.

"How good are you at Capture the Jewel, Abi?" asked Jack.

"My name is Abigail," Hayley snapped. "And I haven't played or seen a game of Capture the Jewel."

"You have never, ever watched a game of Capture the Jewel?" gapped Mark. "Leo, the rules of CTJ now!"

"Capture the Jewel," began a boy with dirty blonde hair and yellow robes, "is the school's main sport. It has four teams which are the houses. A game is played each month based on its school of magic, so this one will be Carpentry. The aim is to defend your team's jewel and capture another team's.

"There are fourteen people in each team, a boy and girl from each year. The strongest are usually the attackers, the middle years are defenders and the smallest and weakest are scouts. Scouts find the position of the ruby, topaz, emerald or sapphire.

"That's basically it. Oh and the team changes each month depending on the course."

"Simple, huh?" scoffed Jimmy through a mouthful of bacon.

Hayley gave a mild hum so as not to cause uproar. Instead of continuing the conversation, she busied herself with breakfast. The pancakes were dry, but with berries they tasted half as good as her grandma's. The juice wasn't bad either. But before she had time to reach out for a piece of toast, she was nudged by Leanne.

"What?" Hayley asked.

"You're being really quiet," observed Leanne.

"Am I?" asked Hayley. "Well, I guess I am."

"Why don't we talk about the professors? What so you think about the Life one?"

Hayley looked towards the high table where half of the professors were eating. The Life professor was more of a jubilant young girl than a responsible woman. Her blonde hair was draped over her shoulders and her cheeks were rosy. She was talking with the Death professor. Hayley was shocked that a Theurgist was talking with a Necromancer. It even looked as if she was getting answers back.

"Brilliant, isn't she?" said Leanne. "Professor Elvesden brought my mum out of her shell when they were Journeymen."

"She was at school with your mum?" asked Hayley astonished.

"Yep," said Leanne. "She may look young, but she isn't."

"How is she managing to get an answer from the Death professor, though?"

"Guinevere is an amazing woman. She says that it isn't our fault for being who we are and even if it is we shouldn't draw ourselves away from new opportunities."

Hayley looked back up at the high table just in time to see the Death professor smile slightly. Her face lit up, bringing her to life until Uncle Adrian sat down next to her. She immediately stood up and headed out of the great hall. This caused Professor Elvesden's smile to falter for the first time. Uncle Adrian already had a menacing reputation.

҈ ҈ ҈

The first lesson of the day was Fire. Hayley was placed next to Jack and Ella. Professor Coalsworth sat behind his desk with a bulky notepad in front of him. Without announcing his subject or himself, he started the register. Hayley stumbled slightly on her name. She wasn't used to being so far down a list.

Professor Coalsworth straightened his pencils on his desk. He looked at his students as time passed. By the time that a minute had passed a few people had started muttering. Suddenly a fire sprang to life in the middle of the room. People screamed and jumped to get away. It vanished as soon as it had appeared.

"Fire," spoke the professor, "can destroy everyone and everything in its path. It is passion! It is able to consume you and burn you, leaving nothing but a pile of charred ashes. Pyromancers are Fire's followers. They master magic through damage-over-time spells. We can heal ourselves to get by, but it isn't anything substantial. More advanced Pyromancers are able to stun their enemy. Any questions?"

The room stayed silent. Embarrassed students had returned to their seats. A few were flicking through their textbooks which included Jack. Ella was looking overwhelmed by the things she was being asked to do. Professor Coalsworth shook his head in disbelief.

"Even if you have grown up with Pyromancers, it is no excuse for distractions, Mr Blading!"

"Oh," Jack looked up to find his professor bending over him. "Sorry sir."

"If you are so confident why don't you draw the fire symbol with your wand?"

"With my wand?"

"Yes, young man, with your wand," Professor Coalsworth slammed Jack's textbook shut, "and without any help."

Jack slipped his wand out of his bag. It was identical to Hayley's. This would make it hard to determine between the two. Tentatively, Jack raised his wand. He traced a flame with his wand, but only a few orange sparks came from the tip.

"That was abysmal," sneered Coalsworth. "The next time that you try to learn ahead of the class please report to my office for a detention. Thank you!"

Coalsworth straightened up and walked back to his desk. He picked up a handful of orange exercise books and began to hand them out. Hayley heard two gusts of breath next to her. Jack was red in the face and Ella was shaking slightly.

"Did I mention that I want to be a Thaumaturge?" Ella whispered.

"No you didn't," said Hayley. "And it looks as if we've finally found something that Jack isn't keen on."

The rest of the lesson was spent on learning the fire symbol. Hayley drew the symbol in her book, annotated it and finished just before the bell rang. Ella and Jack were the first to run through the doors to Ice. Hayley listened to Leanne complain about Coalsworth. Her mouth was never tired Hayley began to realise.

Kenneth was breaking into the conversation when Hayley saw something odd. All of the classroom doors were exactly the same except for one at the end of the corridor. This door was made of dark oak and had a curved window above it. A pane of glass in a spiral shape was set into the centre of the door. Light was shining from the other side.

Intrigued, Hayley stopped in front of the door. Voices seemed to be coming from the other side. She touched the key which had an illustration of a tree with a mouth and two eyes on it.

"Abigail, what are you doing?" asked Leanne.

"Nothing," replied Hayley, pulling her hand away from the door.

She ran to catch up with the others, tapping her pocket where the key was safe.

҈ ҈ ҈

Professor Emmerson was a kind woman, but she had an icy glare when her patience finally ran out.

"Please just sit down at a desk so I can introduce my subject," she shouted ten minutes into the lesson.

Hayley found herself stuck right in front of the professor's desk. A towering pile of light blue exercise books were slammed onto her desk. Sighing, she began to hand out the books.

"Ice is the magic of patience and persistence. Thaumaturges use high protection and absorption spells to prevent being knocked out. These defences make it hard to defeat Thaumaturges. Although our damage spells are low, our persistence brings us through to victory. Taunts force enemies to focus their attack on the caster. This helps allies with weaker protection.

"Pyromancers are naturally Thaumaturges enemies. Ice is nearly impossible for Pyromancers to cast. So if you get bad grades then you can blame it on your fiery tempers! Thaumaturges perform extra damage on Pyromancers, but it is the same the other way around."

Hayley collapsed into her seat. Everyone had begun to write in their books. She looked over Natasha's shoulder to see her write _With persistence, Victory is assured_. Her hand was steady whereas Hayley's was shaking from the cold. She wrote down all of the notes on what Ice could do such as stunning, but no healing.

"The Ice symbol is a snowflake," Professor Emmerson was still talking. "It should turn out as light blue although it has been known to turn aqua for Theurgists. This is what it looks like."

Emmerson held up her bejewelled wand and drew a four pointed snowflake in the air. It hovered there until she swung her wand through it, shattering it into tiny pieces.

"Copy this into your books and you might be allowed to try it now."

After drawing the symbol, the class lined up down the aisle of the room. One by one the Novices tried, and failed, to cast the snowflake. Ella was the first to form it successfully even though it disintegrated after five seconds. She earned the first merit point for Celestia.

When Hayley came to the front, her teeth had started to chatter from the cold. She shakily lifted her wand and moved her wand in the air. However not a single spark came out. Professor Emmerson clucked sympathetically.

"You're definitely not a Thaumaturge, dear," she said.

Hayley slumped back into her seat as she made a mental note never to sit in the front row again. Her homework was to annotate her Ice symbol like everyone else, but she also had to practise it until there were at least a few sparks. Ice definitely wasn't her favourite subject.

Natasha happily sat down in her seat next to Hayley's. She began to scribble in her book. Hayley looked over her shoulder to see Natasha write _formed the symbol for the first time_. Hayley let out a growl of annoyance.

After the lesson, it was a twenty minute break. Hayley managed to slip away from Leanne, who was boasting that she managed to make a snowflake appear for three seconds, and returned to the corridor with the odd door. It was empty when she arrived. Most students had gone outside or returned to their dormitory. The odd door still had light shining through its window.

Hayley walked up to it, slipping the key out of her pocket. The door was going to only be hers. She fitted the key carefully into the keyhole. Whatever was behind the door was going to be hers. But what was behind it? Was it a store cupboard or a deserted classroom? Perhaps it was a teacher's office. She didn't want to barge into a professor's office and her key might not be the only one.

Hayley pulled the key out of its hole. She didn't want to get into trouble on her first day. She turned away and didn't return to the door until ten seconds later. The temptation was too much. Shoving the key into the hole, Hayley turned it. As it clicked, her heart started to race. This was either going to be her sanctuary or her ticket to her first detention. She slowly turned the handle, stepping into a world of new opportunities and adventures.


End file.
